My PIL stole my vegetables...

[hamandpease]

I’ve name changed for this as it’s a little identifying as I’ve mentioned it to a few people yesterday....

My parents in law have been staying with us for a few days and left yesterday once the snow had calmed down to head back down south. For context my parents in law are lovely and wonderful and nothing like some of the nightmares I read about in here so this is somewhat lighthearted...

Every time they visit whatever they buy, they take home if it hasn’t been used. I would sort of understand if we were talking something expensive and unopened they we were not going to eat (eg lobster???) but we are talking the dregs of drinks and stuff that is open!!

For context they are very generous at Christmas / birthdays etc and are in no way tight or hard up (although paying the bill at restaurants is always a bit awkward and they don’t pick it up, so I pick it up to pay no problem, but then they insist they are paying, it’s always a bit of an interesting pass the bill around dance). There are no issues with disposable income on either side, everyone is comfortable in this.

But when it comes to the fridge if they’ve put it in there they’re taking it with them.

This week we took them out to dinner, they picked up some bits and bobs from the shops the next day. Before leaving I heard them ask my DH ‘are you going to drink this’ re the flavoured water and he replied yes don’t worry it won’t go to waste’, and ‘are you going to use these’ re three lonely carrots and he replied ‘Yes I’m sure they’ll go in something’. Once they’d gone DH went to the fridge a little later and my mother in law has TAKEN THE PEACH WATER AND THREE CARROTS!!!!

This isn’t an issue about not liking waste, they weren't going to waste! But because they bought them they took them!!!

AIBU to think this is crazy?!

I think if this is the worst thing about your PIL, then you are very lucky. I mean, have you READ some of the threads on here?

But seriously, of course it's crazy. Do they think you'll throw it out?

Send them a carrot in the post with a note saying 'you forgot one'..

No reason to think we would throw it out, they always ask if we'll use it (I think hoping we'll say no) but then take it anyway because they bought it so it's theirs 🙄

It's a bit rude of them, I mean, I'm assuming they've used some of your stuff during their stay - teabags, cereal?

But I think you have to put it down to a quirk and let it go.

Get a padlock on the fridge. When they ask why, tell them the tomatoes were terrified they'd be next.

We're the other way round. My dm bags up any of our leftovers and gives them back to us!

Pengggwn

That is real crazy! But like cherry said if it's the only bad thing they do you're probably lucky. It is a very strange thing to do though.

. People (even the nicest ones) can be so strange sometimes.it's strange that they took those items back

That is weird. They don't sound very generous. I suspect they'd like you to pay the restaurant bill too but can't quite manage to do it!

My dp’s brother and sister in law do this. They’ll shop and cook a meal when they stay then take all the leftover ingredients with them. Notably, an opened carton of passata......

Do you ever stay with them? Maybe take something particularly expensive and delicious and take it back when you go home?

How strange!! I'd have thought the inconvenience of raking the fridge for their leftovers would outweigh the benefit of a handful of leftover carrots!

Maybe they're seeing it as not leaving you with their half used stuff to sort out and not wanting to be any kind of burden.

Works both way. My parents bring veg left over (as will be off when they return 3 days later) when they come to stay and will take enough for their first meal home and bread for sandwiches when they leave. Food exchange! If 3 carrots and some sugar water is all you worry about youve good pil.

People are weird.

When I read the header, I thought you were going to say they were looking after your garden and helped themselves!

Londonrach I did clearly say lighthearted...

They are bonkers.

Next time they stay, get up early on their last day and hide anything you think they might take!!

Are they worried about the sort of things that some older people worry about...

Getting in your way
Being a nuisance
Cluttering your fridge
Imposing

...?

I really cannot begin to understand how people stay over in other people’s houses FREE of charge and then are taking all their scraps with them when they leave.

Did they at least shown up with a respectable bottle of wine, flowers & chocolates for hosting them for several days?

It is weird, and I think you are a nice person, not them, such tight people are never really that nice... it extends to other things, always.

embrace it.
get in there before they do.
next time i would be bright and breezy
"youll be wanting these 2 mushrooms; what about this half a tomato?I could clingfilm it for you? "
it would amuse me for hours. i had the lovliest pil in the world and their gently eccentric ways were one of the joys.

I have family that do this. They come to stay and bring food gifts with them that they start to eat on the (not very long) journey here (think bites out of lumps of cheese, half a bar of chocolate) present it when they arrive like they are bringing gold frankincense and myrrh, eat all of our food then pack up and take their nibbled half eaten food gifts with them.
It’s weird but it’s their way and we still love them.

Could it be that they didn't hear the answer properly, or are hard of hearing due to age?

But anyway yeah weird but like someone said if this is the worst then you're very lucky.